Pneumatic dental plugger



(NoModel.) Y

L. E. -USTER.

PNBUMATIG DENTAL PLUGGER. No. 394,464. A Patented Deo. 11, 1888.

@mun/moes a ff/fw` f. @wig/w ffm? UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

LEVITT E. CUSTER, OF DAYTON, OHIO,

PN EU MATIC DENTAL PLUGG ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,464, dated December 11, 1888.

Application tiled June 8. 1888. Serial No. 276,473. (No model.)

` forward action.7

To all whom if may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEvrrT E. CUsTER, of Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dental Pluggers; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon,

ywhich form part of this specification, in

A action plugger, or one in which the blow on the shaft may be given direct to impart a forward action or a backward action to the points, with means for making the point fixed or movable, and to so construct the engine that the air-inlet ports can be changed to properly operate the plugger, and simultaneously with the shifting of the ports the proper recoil cushioning-spring for the hammerbe brought into position and the proper retracting-spring for the hammer-shaft tensioned automatically.

To these ends the invention consistsin the novel construction and arrangement of parts of the engine, as will be clearly hereinafter described, and specifically designated in the claims.

Referring to the drawings by letter, A designates the cylinder of the engine, which forms the handle by which the plugger is manipulated. The opposite ends of this cylinder are interiorly screw-threaded, as shown, and one end thereof is externally flanged at a.. On diametrically-opposite sides of cylinder A extend two hollow ribs, B b, which form the air-ports B b of the cylinder and communicate with openings a a in flange a. Port B communicates with the interior of the cylinder near flange a; but port b extends to and communicates with the opposite or front end of the cylinder.

is a hollow cylindrical cap, the open end of which is screw-threaded exteriorly and engaged in the threaded end of cylinder A, approximating flange u. This cap is slotted at c, for a purpose hereinafter described.

D is a collar corresponding in diameter with flange A and slipped on cap against said flange. This collar is provided with openings d', corresponding to the openings a in the flange, one of saidopenings communicating with a tube or nozzle, d, attached to the collar, as shown.

E is a sleeve lit-ted on cap C, exteriorio collar D, and provided with a diagonal slot, e, for a purpose herein after described. This sleeve is preferably rigidly united to collar D and may be formed integral with the latter, if desired.

F3 is a coiled spring slipped on cap C between its enlarged head and sleeve E, which, when the cap is screwed into place on the cylinder, forces the sleeve and collar D toward and against the flanged end of the cylinder, maintaining a tight joint between collar D and the flange a.

F is a hollow shaft or head, upon which is mounted a sleeve, G, that is retained in place between two shoulders, f f, of said head. The inner portion of sleeve Gr is screwthreaded exteriorily, and is secured thereby in the front end of cylinder A, as shown, so that head F can rotate freely independently of the cylinder, although supported thereon. Head F is slotted at F through shoulder f', and is also provided 'with a set-screw, G', for a purpose hereinafter described.

IVI designates the shaft or piston of the engine, having a front portion, h, that rests in head F and projects slightly into cylinder A. The shaft is retained in position by a lug, 7c, on part z, which lug projects into slot F and limits the longitudinal play of the shaft thereon. The screw if can be turned to lock the shaft, its inner end engaging in notches k in part 71.. IVithin cylinder A the shaft is reduced into a small cylindrical portion, H', that extends through said cylinder, and has near the rear end thereof a shoulder or collar, h. On part H', outside collar 7i', is loosely mounted a sleeve or core, I, which is recessed at its ends, and which is kept on part H by means of setting and jam nuts J, which en- IOO gage the screw-threaded end of part H', as shown. il z" are coiled springs on part H, interposed, respectively, between core I and collar 7L and the core and nuts J, as shown.

K is a lug or set-screw projecting from the periphery of core I outward through slot c of cap C and slot e of sleeve E.

The shaft H is shouldered at II', where the part H unites with part 71.. The front end of part h within head F has ascrew-threaded socket, L, in which may be engaged the sh anks of the various points used in plugging' a tooth.

INI designates the cylindrical piston or hammer of a diameter corresponding to the interior of cylinder A, and which is mounted therein around part H of the shaft, being properly bored to permit it to pass freely over the part H without allowing air to escape therethrough.

N N are coiled cushioning-springs in cylinder A and mounted, respectively, on the inner end of the head F and of cap C.

The operation is as follows: The parts are assembled in the manner shown and described, and air is supplied through a suitable flexible tube attached to the nozzle el. If it is desired to use the engine with a forward-action plugging-point, as shown in Fig, 4, the collar D and sleeve E are turned so as to cause the nozzle d to register with port B. VThe screw G being' loose, the turning of sleeve E will, through slot e, which acts as a cam and engages lug K, shift core I, so that spring z" will be tensioned and will draw shaft H within the cylinder sufliciently to bring shoulder H clear of spring N, but retractI collar h', so that spring N will prevent the impact of the annular hammer M thereon. l Port b, it will be observed, is at this time in communication with the atmosphere through the flange and collar openings. Air is admitted in pulsations from any proper engine through nozzle d into port B', striking hammer M and driving it forward against shoulder H the air in front of the hammer escaping through port b.v The impact of the annular hammer causes it to recoil in the cylinder after it has driven shaft H and the point thereto attached forward an extent limited by the space between core I and nuts .I and the recoil-power` of spring fi. This spring t" also assists in causing the annular hammer to rebound in the cylinder, ready to be again driven forward by a fresh in'fiux of air. Preferably the air-forcing apparatus is such that the air will be al-4 ternately forced into and withdrawn from the cylinder, so that the hammer is impelled against the shaft-shoulders by direct action of the compressed air, and retracted additionally by suction, the air escaping and entering freely through the opposite port. The spring N in the present instance receives the return shock of the hammer and cushions and dead- `ens .the same, while such return impact of the hammeris not felt by the shaft. Vhen a Nback-action movable point is to be used, the

sleeve and collar D E are turned on cap C until nozzle cl registers with port b', as shown in Fig. 3. The shifting of sleeve E by slot e and lug ,K causes core I to move forward, projecting shaft H, tensioning spring t', and protrudin collar 7L beyond spring N', while shoulder H is retracted within spring N. The operation is then similar to that described, the actuating-air passing through port h', and, driving'the hammer against collar 7L', forces the shaft II rearward, as is evident. The lug K of the shaft is arranged in such relation to the extent of play of core I that it will stop the movementof shaft Il before core I is fully shifted in either direction, so that the proper tension of the spring 1I or t" is provided for. XV hen it is desired to use fixed points to make the blow more direct, the screw G can be turn ed to lock shaft II, as is obvious.

It will be observed that the engine can be changed from a forward to a back action plugger by simply turning the attached collar D and sleeve E, and that the said collar automatically causes the shifting of the parts to correspond with ,the action of the engine, so that the return impact of the hammer will be cushioned, and the points may be movable or springtensioned for both actions. Another feature is the admission of air for both actions through the rear end of the cylinder, so as t0 be out of the way of the operator at all times.

Having described my invention, I claiml. vIn a dental plugger, the combinationv of the cylinder and its air-ports with an adjustable point-holding shaft in said cylinder, the set-screw for locking said shaft, and a recip rocating hammer in said cylinder playing between shoulders on said shaft for imparting a forward or backward action to the' same, substantially as described. Y

2. The combination of the cylinder, the airports thereof, and the adjustable collar and nozzle at the end of the cylinder for conducting air to either of said ports, with the pointholding shaft and hammer, substantially. as and for the purpose described.

3. The combination of the cylinder and its opposite ports with the spring-controlled movable shaft having a reduced portion'within said cylinder, and a cylindrical hammer in said cylinder, reciprocating over the reduced portion of the shaft, substantially as and for j the purpose described.

4. The combination of the cylinder, its opposite air-ports, the adjustable collar D, nozzle d, and sleeve E with the shaft H, the core I thereon, engaged by said sleeve and shifted thereby, and the annular hammer on said shaft, substantially as and for the purpose described. v

5. The combination of the cylinder and its air-ports with the shouldered adjustable shaft having a reduced portion in said cylinder, the hammer reciprocating between said shoul- IOO IIO

ders,.and the recoil cushioning-springs for` v said hammer secured in the ends of the cylinl der independently of the shaft, but adapted to project over the shoulders thereof, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. The combination of the cylinder and its opposite ports with the spring tensioned shaft and hammer, and the collar D, sleeve E, core I, springs t' i', and lug K, substantially as described, for shifting the air-inlet from one port to the other and simultaneously shitting` the tension-springs and shaft to convert the engine into a forward or backward acting plugger, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. The combination of the cylinder A, its ports, and cap C with the collar D, sleeve E, shaft H, and core I, substantially in. the manner and for the purpose described.

8. The combination of cylinder A, its ports j B ZJ', collar D, and sleeve E with shaft II, core I, spring-s zi L" on said shaft, hammer M, and springs N N', substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

9. The combination of cylinder A, cap C, collar D, sleeve E, and head F, having slotF, with the shaft ll, its lug L, core I, springs ii', and hannner M, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEVITT E. CUSTER.

IVitnesses:

OscAR F. DAVIssoN, E. J. FINKE. 

